Visit other Electrical pages: Services | Products | FAQ's

Electrical Glossary of Terms

Amperage:  The amount of current flow.

Amp:  a unit of electric current used to measure the rate of flow.

Capacitor:  an electric circuit element used to store charge temporarily.

Circuit:  A path of conductors that an electric current follows.

Conductor:  A material through which electric current flows easily.

Current electricity:  Electricity that flows through a circuit, or a continuous unbroken path.

Direct current (DC):  Electric current that flows in one direction only.

Electricity:  a form of energy produced by the flow or accumulation of electrons.

Electromagnet:  A temporary magnet formed when electric current flows through a wire or other conductor

Electron:  a subatomic particle with a negative electrical change.

Flourescence:  A process by which substances give off light or another form of electromagnetic radiation when they absorb energy.

GFI: Ground fault interruptor: A special electrical receptacle or outlet that is installed near water sources (ie: bathrooms, kitchen and outdoor applications) as a safety precaution that can stop electrical power within milliseconds.

Incandescence:  The effect by which an object begins to glow when heated.

Insulator:  A material that opposes the flow of electric current.

Ion:  An atom or group of atoms that has either gained or lost electrons and has an electric current.

Low voltage: Lamps that operate at a lower voltage than line voltage are termed low voltage lamps. These lamps require a transformer to reduce line voltage to usually 12 or 24 volts.

Ohm:  Unit of electrical resistance used to measure a material’s resistance to the flow of electric current.

Parallel circuit:  a circuit that splits into branches.  A break in one branch will not stop current in the other branches. 

Receptacle: A device installed on a wall or floor to connect power supply to appliances that are equipped with plugs.

Resistance:  The degree to which a substance resists electric current.

Resistor:  A device used to control current by providing resistance.

Series circuit:  A circuit that connects a source, load, and conductors in a single loop.  Any break in the circuit will stop the flow of current.

Switch: A device installed on a wall that controls power sources such as receptacles.

Superconductors:  Materials that lose all resistance to the flow of current at low temperatures.  They operate extremely fast and produce almost no heat.

Transfer switch: A switch designed to transfer electricity being supplied to loads from one source of power to another (commonly used on generators).

Transformation:  The change in energy from one type to another as in a battery, which changes chemical energy to electricity.

Volt:  Unit of potential difference similar to pressure.

Voltage:  A type of pressure that drives electrical charges through a circuit.

Watt:  Unit of power equal to volts times amps.